Social media has revolutionized the way businesses interact with their customers. Other than being a platform for brand promotion and marketing, it has become an important channel for delivering exceptional customer service. It helps in connecting with customers in real time, allowing brands to address concerns, build strong long-term relationships, establish a strong online reputation and build trust.
Customers actively engage online, and their expectation of receiving instant and quality customer service at various touch points has also grown. 79% expect a response within 24 hours, and 52% expect within one hour. Businesses are finding new ways to find unique ways to provide high-quality and quick service to solve customers’ problems. 74% of millennials stated that their perception of the brand improves when it responds to social media queries, and 73% of social media users claimed that they will buy from competitors if a brand does not respond to them on social media.
In this article, we’ll learn the importance of social media in customer service, why it matters for customer service, and some strategies for improving customer service on social media!
Importance of Social Media in Customer Service
With billions of users worldwide using different social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc, it has become a hub of communication for users. Users expect brands to interact with them on social media. It reflects the changing consumer preference for transparent communication and quick convenience. Integrating social media into your customer service into business strategy improves the overall customer experience and improves your brand’s reputation. It leads to high customer satisfaction. It is a direct, quick, and convenient way of communication, especially with social media posts and DMs.
Real-time problem-solving is important for handling customer issues on time before they become a huge disaster. It is also cost-effective as it requires fewer resources. It provides a wider reach and showcases your commitment to customer care, which enhances your brand perception and reputation. Also, in markets where businesses rely on traditional customer services, offering effective social media in customer service gives you an edge over competitors. Moreover, it helps in gaining customer data about customer preferences, interests, trends, etc. This information is invaluable in shaping product, service, and overall experience. It also ensures brand loyalty and customer retention. It helps in community building and saves your costs.
How to Use Social Media for Customer Service?
Social media is a powerful tool that brands use to provide real-time interaction and personalized support to customers. It boosts brand loyalty and customer experience. Here are some of the ways to improve customer service
- Monitor Social Channel: Focus on social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn for customer comments, complaints, etc. Use social media tools to track online mentions, hashtags, and relevant keywords through social listening. It makes you aware of all conversations, even if you are not tagged directly.
- Engage: Consistently engage with users across social media platforms. It shows customers that you hear them and value their concerns. It helps build trust and shows your brand’s commitment to excellent service. You should use social media tools to integrate all your social profiles into one unified platform.
- Personalize Response: With social media for customer service, users expect a customized response for every customer. You should track the past interactions, customer sentiment, preferences, etc, to understand customers and create a personalized response.
- Track Metrics: You can set up alerts to catch queries the moment they appear. Monitor response time, resolution rate, and sentiment to spot trends. Improve your workflow.
- Resolve Issues: Responding on social media helps in building credibility and enables others to see that you’re accountable and responsive to customers. Set up automated responses for frequently asked questions or common issues. You can also follow up through direct message if necessary.
Strategies for improving customer service on social media
Here are some of the strategies for improving customer service on social media
- Be Responsive: Respond timely manner for effective social media customer service. A delayed reply can damage your brand’s reputation. You should set response standards where you aim to reply within a specific timeframe. Proactively address issues, for example, if you notice a recurring issue, then acknowledge it publicly and provide solutions. Use social listening tools to monitor brand mentions.
- Dedicated Support Team: Managing customer service inquiries on social media requires specialised skills. A well-trained team ensures professional and consistent responses. Make sure everyone maintains a friendly and professional tone. Allocate tasks effectively. Provide sufficient support and resources to the team to resolve issues.
- Personalize: Customers expect personalized experience. Address them by name and address their specific requirements based on their purchasing behaviour. Acknowledge their purchasing history and tailor detailed solutions accordingly.
- Technology: Automation and AI tools can help in managing a high volume of inquiries without compromising quality. Use chatbots for initial interaction, such as collecting customer information and answering FAQs. Use data to identify trends and optimize strategy. Connect social platforms with CRM to crack interactions.
- Knowledge Hub: Providing easy access to information can reduce the number of repetitive inquiries and resolve customer inquiries independently. Create or pin FAQs to highlight reel addressing common questions. Encourage peer-to-peer support through user groups. Create tutorials or guides for product use.
- Handling Reviews: Transparency is important on social media, but sensitive issues are resolved privately to protect customer privacy. Acknowledge the issue publicly. You can offer to take the conversation offline. Senda Follow-up to ensure the issue is resolved to their satisfaction and check back.
Social media is more than just a marketing tool; it is an effective channel for delivering real-time, relationship-driven customer service. By being proactive, responsive, and empathetic, brands can use this opportunity to build trust, foster loyalty, and create brand advocates. Prioritizing customer service on social media is not optional but a necessity. Lumia 360 provides online solutions to small and medium enterprises. Their solutions help in growing social media presence and boost your return on investment. To know more, email info@lumia360.com or call 514-668-5599.
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